In the Name of God, Amen
Readers will recall that on the eve of his presentment for theft, fraud, and immorality, the rector of Colorado Springs' Grace Church, Don Armstrong, "announced" that both he and the parish were no longer Episcopalian and that they had joined the Church of Nigeria, which is very far from Colorado.
As a result, the hundreds of Episcopalians still worshipping in Colorado Springs, have been forced to vacate their parish.
The Episcopal Church has stood solidly behind these Episcopalians and has been working to get them back into their rightful location. Those who have taken Grace Church, say it's theirs, and always has been.
The Colorado Independent reports that during discovery in the Church's ongoing efforts, an interesting document has turned up.
It's an "Instrument of Donation," wherein the rector and the 1929 vestry of the parish, and its successors, cede their spiritual and financial authority to the diocese and its successors, and proclaim that the parish is forevermore to be held in trust by and used for, The Episcopal Church.
The document begins, "In the Name of God, Amen," and is signed by the rector, the vestry, and the wardens. If you click on the image, you can see this full size, with the language plain as day.
During the investigation into this rector and his practices, by the Bishop and Standing Committee of the Diocese, many improprieties turned up. The case, brought against him by a unanimous vote of the Standing Committee, where he had supporters, includes evidence of theft, tax fraud, and immorality.
An interesting and not altogether surprising development in the case, concerned the Anglican Communion Institute, an organization that was dedicated to undermining the Episcopal Church. Many apparently believed the Institute was a large, independent organization. It was in fact, run out of and financed by, Grace Church, apparently at the direction of the disgraced rector.
The light has an interesting way of putting things in perspective, doesn't it?
Read the Colorado Independent's report here.
As a result, the hundreds of Episcopalians still worshipping in Colorado Springs, have been forced to vacate their parish.
The Episcopal Church has stood solidly behind these Episcopalians and has been working to get them back into their rightful location. Those who have taken Grace Church, say it's theirs, and always has been.
The Colorado Independent reports that during discovery in the Church's ongoing efforts, an interesting document has turned up.
It's an "Instrument of Donation," wherein the rector and the 1929 vestry of the parish, and its successors, cede their spiritual and financial authority to the diocese and its successors, and proclaim that the parish is forevermore to be held in trust by and used for, The Episcopal Church.
The document begins, "In the Name of God, Amen," and is signed by the rector, the vestry, and the wardens. If you click on the image, you can see this full size, with the language plain as day.
During the investigation into this rector and his practices, by the Bishop and Standing Committee of the Diocese, many improprieties turned up. The case, brought against him by a unanimous vote of the Standing Committee, where he had supporters, includes evidence of theft, tax fraud, and immorality.
An interesting and not altogether surprising development in the case, concerned the Anglican Communion Institute, an organization that was dedicated to undermining the Episcopal Church. Many apparently believed the Institute was a large, independent organization. It was in fact, run out of and financed by, Grace Church, apparently at the direction of the disgraced rector.
The light has an interesting way of putting things in perspective, doesn't it?
Read the Colorado Independent's report here.
posted by The AoM at 7/19/2007 01:15:00 PM
2 Comments:
It does indeed, Oh Wise One. However to paraphrase John Heywood, "There are none so deliberately blind as those who forget about the (literal in this case) deeds of their predecessors." Things like this have an embarrassing tendency to show up at the most INopportune times.
Now, if we could just find something like this that the Steering Committee of the Global South Primates couldn't successfully play ostrich from....
About the ACI, the Admiral says, "Many apparently believed the Institute was a large, independent organization..."
Not only was it not independent, as our host has pointed out, but it's hardly "large," either. More like six guys and a website...
Lots of bark, but precious little bite, or as the Bard would say, ...it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. ---Macbeth
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